Distance Learning of a Foreign Language - Necessity or Future

In order to effectively organize the educational process when teaching foreign languages remotely in the context of a pandemic, special technical, psychological, and pedagogical training is required to switch to this form of education. Thus, it is necessary to study the current state of distance learning in foreign languages, both in Russia and abroad, and analyze the prospects for the development of this form of education, taking into account factors that have a positive impact on the process of learning a foreign language. The purpose of the article is to identify the theoretical and methodological foundations of distance learning in foreign languages, analyze the factors that have a positive and negative impact on the process of learning a foreign language, and determine the role of a teacher who organizes the process of teaching foreign languages remotely. To solve the problems of the research, a set of research methods was used: system, historical, theoretical analysis and generalization of literature, questionnaires. Statistical data processing was carried out using Google services when conducting surveys used for analyzing and summarizing data, their graphical visualization the results Of a survey of students in one of the leading universities in Russia in the form of distance education revealed positive aspects about the introduction and implementation of distance learning, however, the data obtained on the quality of distance learning agreed, that "live" interactivity in the classroom with classmates and other participants in the educational process leads to the highest results of communicative teaching of foreign languages. As a result of the research on the quality and interest of students and undergraduates in distance learning, 180 students aged 18 to 25 years were interviewed. A retrospective analysis of the development of distance education in Russia and abroad revealed such facts that not all countries were ready to switch to this form of education during the pandemic. Based on the experience of working in the form of distance learning of foreign languages, this article offers the main ways and methods of teaching a foreign language that can be applied in international practice of teaching foreign languages remotely.